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$250 Main Event
Day 1ab Completed
2026 RPT Casino State Championship
$250 Main Event
Day: 1ab
Event Info
2026 RPT Casino State Championship
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1ab
Buy-in
$250
Prize Pool
$331,000
Total Entries
1,655
Level
30
Blinds
300,000 / 600,000
Ante
600,000
Entries
362
Players Left
46
Players Left 1 / 1,655
Filter
Level 16
: Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante
A massive cooler helped propel Steve Keplin to the overall chip lead on Day 1b of the $250 Roughrider Poker Tour Casino State Championship.
Keplin flopped a set of kings against Cody Olson’s set of fives to earn the knockout as the Belcourt, North Dakota native finished the second starting flight with 680,000, putting him atop the leaderboard with 26 more players advancing to Day 2.
Day 1b Top Ten Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Steve Keplin | United States | 680,000 |
| 2 | John Choleva | United States | 590,000 |
| 3 | Dave Ouellette | United States | 454,000 |
| 4 | Jessica Kendall | United States | 405,000 |
| 5 | Andrew Taylor | Canada | 348,000 |
| 6 | Jamie Meidinger | United States | 336,000 |
| 7 | Corey Littlewolf | United States | 271,000 |
| 8 | Lonnie Barth | United States | 253,000 |
| 9 | Harry Anderson | Canada | 222,000 |
| 10 | Todd Wentz | United States | 216,000 |
John Choleva was also on the fortunate end of a cooler, flopping quad nines against Brent Slaubaugh’s two queens to double up in a pot worth nearly 400,000. He ended up in second place with 590,000, while Dave Ouellette (454,000), Jessica Kendall (405,000), and Andrew Taylor (348,000) round out the top five.
Others to survive the day included Jamie Meidinger (336,000), Corey Littlewolf (271,000), who finished sixth in this event last year, and 2023 RPT Player of the Year Duff Diseth (141,000). Several players who bagged the opening Day 1a took advantage of the ability to build a bigger stack in the later flight, but only Lonnie Barth and Slaubaugh survived again. Barth ended up with 253,000 compared to 103,000 on Day 1a, while Slaubaugh bettered the 126,000 he finished with on Day 1a by a few extra chips with 133,000. They’ll have their smaller stack taken out of play and be awarded $710 at the start of Day 2.
The bubble burst right at the end of Level 14, so action is currently projected to pick up on Day 2 at the beginning of Level 15 with blinds of 4,000/8,000 and an 8,000 big blind ante.
With 202 more entries on Day 1b, the field stands at 362 through the first two starting flights, with 44 players through to Day 2. There are two more starting flights tomorrow, Day 1c at 9 a.m. and Day 1d at 5 p.m.
PokerNews will be back inside the Spirit Lake Casino & Resort in St. Michael tomorrow providing live updates from what is promising to be a massive field.
Level 16
: Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante
Level 16
: Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante
Level 16
: Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante
Level 14: 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
Julian Azure moved all in for around 40,000 from middle position and John Choleva put him at risk in early position.
Julian Azure: A♠J♠ 
John Choleva: A♦4♦
Choleva came from behind on the 4♠Q♥2♠ flop to take the lead with a pair of fours, while Azure was left looking to complete a straight draw. The turn was the A♥, while the 3♦ completed the board on the river and send Azure to the rail on the bubble.
The remaining 26 players are bagging up their chips for the night.
Level 16
: Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante
Level 14: 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
Randy Smith bet 20,000 from under the gun on a flop of 9♣9♦7♦ and Jamie Meidinger called in the big blind.
Both players checked the 6♦ turn. Meidinger then led out for 30,000 on the 5♠ river, and Smith took a minute before calling.
Meidinger showed 3♣3♠, and Smith flashed A♦K♣ before tossing his cards into the muck.
Level 16
: Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante
Michael Dehen moved all in for 80,000 on the button and Calvin Berry called in middle position.
Michael Dehen: 8♣8♠
Calvin Berry: Q♥Q♦
Berry showed down two queens and had Dehen had serious risk of elimination, and the board ran out K♦J♣6♠2♦5♣ to send Dehen to the rail.
At another table, Phil Whitsiss bet 20,000 from early position on a flop of 6♥8♦7♦ and snap-called when Harry Anderson shoved from the small blind.
Phil Whitsiss: 10♦10♣
Harry Anderson: J♠9♦
Whitsiss was ahead with his tens, while Anderson was on a straight draw. The A♠ turn was safe for Whitsiss, while the river came the 4♥ and he doubled up.
With Dehen's elimination, play is going hand-for-hand until there is one more elimination.
Level 16
: Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante
Ryan Nickle moved all in for 70,000 from the big blind and Josh Dahlstrom called in early position.
Ryan Nickle: 8♦8♠
Josh Dahlstrom: K♦K♣
Nickle found himself crushed by Dahlstrom's kings, and the 4♦9♠J♠3♣A♥ board offered no help as he was eliminated, bringing the field within two of the money.
Level 16
: Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante
Level 14: 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
Cody Olson and Steve Keplin went to the turn on a board of K♥9♣5♣10♦ with around 80,000 in the pot. Olson then bet another 80,000 from the hijack, Keplin moved all in on the button, and Olson called.
Olson showed 5♦5♠ for a set, but Keplin had K♠K♣ for a top set. The river was the A♠ and Keplin secured the pot.
The stacks were counted down and Keplin had 247,000, while Olson was covered by just 4,000 and was sent to the rail.
At another table, Todd Wentz was all in for 88,000 from middle position and up against Justin Fowler in early position.
Todd Wentz: A♦K♠
Justin Fowler: K♥K♦
Wentz was looking for an ace to stay alive as the board ran out 6♣3♥10♠4♥, and he spiked the A♣ on the river to earn the double up.
Level 16
: Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante
Level 14: 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
Richard Anderson raised to 15,000 in early position, Chad Knoblauch moved all in for 56,000 in middle position, and Anderson called.
Chad Knoblauch: 10♣10♠
Richard Anderson: 5♦5♥
Knoblauch had Anderson dominated with his tens, and the board ran out Q♠7♦2♠Q♦A♣ to earn him the double up.
